What is God doing in your life?
Last Saturday evening, as several friends gathered in our home (see “Saturday Night…“), Maël (from “The Adventures of Maël & Cindy“) asked the question, “What is God doing in your life?” He told the group that he had recently been asking brothers and sisters this question. Over the last several weeks, he said he had even asked a ten year old believer this question several times.
I love this question. It reminds me that God is alive and that God is working. It reminds me that the Spirit that indwells me and other believers does not leave us as we are, but He works in us to mature us toward Christ-likeness. The theological name for this is sanctification – the Spirit makes us more holy, that is, more different from the world and more like Christ. I know that God is working, but do I always ask myself and others, “What is God doing in your life?” No. As a matter of fact, while my wife and I talk about this occasionally, I had never asked my children what God was doing in their lives.
My wife’s birthday is soon… very, very soon. So, last Monday evening, I took my son and daughter shopping. Since we were in the van for a long time, I knew this was a perfect opportunity to continue our “discipleship program” (See “A Van-based discipleship program…“). At one point in our conversation, I asked them, “What is God doing in your life?” I was very excited about how they both recognized God working in their lives.
Just as an example, my son said that God had been leading him to love and care more for people in need. I asked him what he meant. He explained that last summer we had several opportunities to help people move – and my son took part in this. However, since then, he said he had not had as many opportunities to help people. We talked about some opportunities that God had provided for us to help people, and how we could take better advantage of these opportunities.
Similarly, I talked about how God was teaching me about hospitality through Scripture, as well as through examples in my life and through several comments to my post “Hospitality – vacancy or no vacancy?” I was surprised at how much they understood hospitality, especially the cost involved with showing hospitality. I don’t know why I am always so surprised what my son and daughter are learning. And, I don’t know why I am surprised that they can recognize God working in their lives.
Still, it is good to remind ourselves and others to look for ways that God is working in our lives. God may be teaching us, or He may be convicting us. He may be comforting us, or He may stretching us. He can use Scripture, prayer, other believers, circumstances and situations, and, certainly, His presence.
Perhaps asking questions like, “What is God doing in your life?” is part of the process of “considering how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). Perhaps this is one way that we can encourage, admonish, and teach one another. Perhaps, when someone asks us what God is doing in our lives, it is one thing that God uses to keep our eyes off of distractions and fixed on Jesus, “the author and perfector of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Perhaps, questions like this remind us that we are not our own, but that we have been bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23).
So, I ask you: What is God doing in your life?
I just recently talked about one example of something God did in our lives here. God truly is amazing and He is always faithful and has an infinite imagination to fulfill all His promises!
God is revealing more of Himself to me, showing me that His greatest desire is not that I be more knowledgeable about facts but about His character. That I live in the reality that He is my Abba, Daddy… That He loves relationship all the time, in every way, in the every day.
Alan –
I have been reading your blog over these past few weeks, just haven’t commented. Why? Because what God is doing in my life right now is teaching me … humbling me (in a good way, not the way we usually think when we say that) … showing me … guiding me. I don’t “know” what I thought I “knew”. He’s opening my eyes and I feel like I am in the Claritin commercials where it seems in the beginning that it’s clear, until they “film” is lifted off, then you can see more clearly.
Thanks fro asking 🙂
Blessings!
~Heather
Alan-
God has allowed me to see some things that I hadn’t realized before–through the medium of the blog! What an Artist He is. He can use any medium to express Himself.
For a long time, I’ve had some foreshadowings of how He would live out the reality of Christ in me. Now I’m starting to see the picture come together.
Last week’s RHMA conference was also an encourager, especially in the area of how God defines success in ministry.
I guess I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Kat
Alan-
God has allowed me to see some things that I hadn’t realized before–through the medium of the blog! What an Artist He is. He can use any medium to express Himself.
For a long time, I’ve had some foreshadowings of how He would live out the reality of Christ in me. Now I’m starting to see the picture come together.
Last week’s RHMA conference was also an encourager, especially in the area of how God defines success in ministry.
I guess I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Kat
Alan-
God has allowed me to see some things that I hadn’t realized before–through the medium of the blog! What an Artist He is. He can use any medium to express Himself.
For a long time, I’ve had some foreshadowings of how He would live out the reality of Christ in me. Now I’m starting to see the picture come together.
Last week’s RHMA conference was also an encourager, especially in the area of how God defines success in ministry.
I guess I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Kat
Alan-
God has allowed me to see some things that I hadn’t realized before–through the medium of the blog! What an Artist He is. He can use any medium to express Himself.
For a long time, I’ve had some foreshadowings of how He would live out the reality of Christ in me. Now I’m starting to see the picture come together.
Last week’s RHMA conference was also an encourager, especially in the area of how God defines success in ministry.
I guess I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Kat
Alan-
God has allowed me to see some things that I hadn’t realized before–through the medium of the blog! What an Artist He is. He can use any medium to express Himself.
For a long time, I’ve had some foreshadowings of how He would live out the reality of Christ in me. Now I’m starting to see the picture come together.
Last week’s RHMA conference was also an encourager, especially in the area of how God defines success in ministry.
I guess I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Kat
Alan-
God has allowed me to see some things that I hadn’t realized before–through the medium of the blog! What an Artist He is. He can use any medium to express Himself.
For a long time, I’ve had some foreshadowings of how He would live out the reality of Christ in me. Now I’m starting to see the picture come together.
Last week’s RHMA conference was also an encourager, especially in the area of how God defines success in ministry.
I guess I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Kat
Alan-
God has allowed me to see some things that I hadn’t realized before–through the medium of the blog! What an Artist He is. He can use any medium to express Himself.
For a long time, I’ve had some foreshadowings of how He would live out the reality of Christ in me. Now I’m starting to see the picture come together.
Last week’s RHMA conference was also an encourager, especially in the area of how God defines success in ministry.
I guess I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Kat
Alan-
God has allowed me to see some things that I hadn’t realized before–through the medium of the blog! What an Artist He is. He can use any medium to express Himself.
For a long time, I’ve had some foreshadowings of how He would live out the reality of Christ in me. Now I’m starting to see the picture come together.
Last week’s RHMA conference was also an encourager, especially in the area of how God defines success in ministry.
I guess I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.
Kat
Alan,
Your post reminds me of what I consider to be one of the strongest statements in scripture for the life of the Christian. In I Thess. 4:3 Paul says, “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.” Sometimes we may not know the specific will of God as He works out our sanctification, but we can surely know that He does desire us to increase in Christ-likeness.
As for us, I think right now God is teaching us to wait and trust in Him, and to rest in His peace. It is both a wonderful and uncomfortable place to be.
Bryan,
I wish we could all consistently remember what you said: God truly is amazing and He is always faithful and has an infinite imagination to fulfill all His promises!
Heather,
I like the Claritin commercial analogy. I feel like that often. I also agree that humility is very important when God is working in your life.
Kat,
You said: “I guess I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.” Amen! May we all maintain an attitude of humility so that God can continue teaching us!
Eric,
I told several people Sunday and Monday about how much I learned just from your demeaner and attitude. I praise God for the peace and trust that you and Alice both exhibit.
-Alan
God has been teaching me to rely more and more on Him for strength and wisdom. It is so easy to get into a rut in our walk with God and just “wing it”. God is reminding me that I am nothing apart from His grace.
Gordon,
It’s good to see you around my blog again. We all need to learn to rely on God more. Thank you for this reminder!
-Alan
God has been teaching me a big lesson on trust…and I keep failing continually. One day I hope to get it right. I keep praying I will.
Jake,
Thank you for the link to your post. May we all learn to cast our cares at his feet and walk in his rest and comfort. Trust… that is a huge word.
-Alan